Dice shaker having a plurality of individual dice channels incorporated therein

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a dice shaker having a plurality of dice channels secured within a hand shaker frame assembly. Each die channel is normally disposed at an inclined angle within the hand shaker assembly and includes a multi-face die confined therein with each die face having multiple sets of indicia inscribed thereon. Also, each die channel has an outer wall structure that generally tapers inwardly toward the lower end thereof to such a degree that the lower end is only slightly greater in cross section than the individual die contained therein. Therefore, because of the inclined position of the dice channels, the individual die in each channel tends to gravitate to the bottom of the dice channel and assume a rest position thereat. In the vicinity of the lower end of each die channel is formed an opening which has an area less than the area of a die face and approximately equal to the area occupied by each set of indicia inscribed on each die face. The registering of this opening in each die channel with a particular set of indicia establishes a result or value.

United States Patent Woodall, Jr.

DICE SHAKER HAVING A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL DICE CHANNELS INCORPORATED THEREIN William E. Woodall, Jr., 1012 Indian Trails, Raleigh, NC. 27609 Filed: May 31, 1973 Appl. NO; 365,730

Inventor:

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 435,635 9/1890 S chott 273/145 C 2,985,453 5/1961 Matisz 273/145 C 3,508,755 4/1970 Johnson 273/145 C FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 634,076 8/1936 Germany 273 145 c 11] 3,820,792 [4 1 June 28, 1974 Primary ExaminerAnton O. Oechsle Assistant ExaminerArnold W. Kramer Attorney, Agent, or FirmMills and Coats [5 7 ABSTRACT The present invention relates to a dice shaker having a plurality of dice channels secured within a hand shaker frame assembly. Each die channel is normally disposed at an inclined angle within the hand shaker assembly and includes a multi-face die confined therein with each die face having multiple sets of indicia inscribed thereon. Also, each die channel has an outer wall structure that generally tapers inwardly toward the lower end thereof to such a degree that the lower end is only slightly greater in cross section than the individual die contained therein. Therefore, because of the inclined position of the dice channels, the individual die in each channel tends to gravitate to the bottom of the dice channel and assume a rest position thereat. In the vicinity of the lower end of each die channel is formed an opening which has an area less than the area of a die face and approximately equal to the area occupied by each set of indicia inscribed on each die face. The registering of this opening in each die channel with a particular set of indicia establishes a result or value.

4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUHZBIQM I v 0. 2

I saw 2 or z DICE SHAKER HAVING A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL DICE CHANNELS INCORPORATED THEREIN The present invention relates to games or amusement devices, and more particularly to a multi-channel dice shaker device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the past, various types of dice shakers have been devised, but most have been unsatisfactory or undesirable for a number of reasons. Generally, such dice shakers have, on the one hand, tended to be complex and expensive, and consequently unaffordable and not practical for families and non-professional game enthusiasts. On the other hand, those simple and relative inexpensive dice shakers have experienced operating problems and have tended to be unsatisfactory because of their inability to function properly time after time for extended periods.

Two representative type of prior dice shakers are described and disclosed in US. Pat. No. 386,577 to R. F. De Grain, and US. Pat. No. 3,508,755 to W. H. Johnson. First, with respect to the De Grain disclosure, the dice box presented therein includes a group of dice contained in a single chamber with each die having a multiplicity of indicia inscribed on each face thereof. About the bottom of the De Grain dice box is provided a series of recesses adapted to receive corners of the lower most dice. Because of the shape of the recesses, it is possible for a particular die to bridge a recess and consequently there is no indicia at the bottom of the recess to be viewed through the opening formed adjacent the recess. In such a case, the roll" or shake must be voided. Also, it is noted that the De Grain type of dice box only effectively uses one face of each die, and

consequently the total number of combinations is accordingly limited.

The Johnson patent discloses a multi-channel dice shaker having die pushing and clamping means disposed within the bottom of each die .channel and adapted to push and align each die therein toward a front opening within the diechanneLwhereby the indi: cia inscribed on aparticular face of each die can be viewed from outside of the dice shaker. The presence of the die pushing and clamping means of Johnson certainly complicates the entire dice shaker, and also results in wasted time and inconvenience when using this type of dice shaker.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION After much research and study, the present invention has been devised and presents a dice shaker that is simple, relatively inexpensive, and is particularly designed to function properly time after time over extended periods. More particularly, the present dice shaker comprises a shaker frame assembly having a bottom plate,

.and a back plate extending generally vertically from Because of the inclined posture of each die channel, it follows that each die tends to gravitate towards the lower end thereof. Formed within each die channel about the lower end thereof is an opening that is positioned in alignment with the individual die stationed at the lower end of the respective die channel. The opening just referred to is of less area than the face of the adjacent die and is approximately the same area as the area occupied by a single set of indicia. Consequently, when the shaker assembly is inverted and then turned to the upright position, each die falls to the lower end of its respective die channel and only one set of indicia can be viewed in each die channel. Consequently, the inversion and return of the dice shaker assembly results in a plurality of values registering with the individual openings of each die channel.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a simple, relatively inexpensive dice shaker that will function properly time after time without the individual die contained therein jamming or failing to reach the proper rest position after each inversion or shake.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a multi-channel dice shaker designed such that the individual die, after each shake, automatically move to the proper rest position (or read-out position) without requiring mechanical means to urge the die into the proper position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a multi-channel dice shaker wherein each channel is generally rectangular in shape with the sides thereof being tapered inwardly towards the normal lower end thereof, said normal lower end being slightly greater in cross sectional area than the die contained therein such that when the die is disposed in the normal lower end of the respective die channel the die assumes a rest position and is closely bound about the sides thereof by the outer wall structure of the respective die channel.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a multi-channel dice shaker having an individual die confined within each die channel, each die having a plurality of faces and multi-sets of indicia inscribed upon each face thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a multi-channel dice shaker having a viewing opening formed in the vicinity of the normal lower end adjacent the space occupied by the individual die when in the rest or read-out position, said viewing opening corresponding in area to the area occupied by a single set of indicia on a particular face of a respective die, thereby assuring that when in the rest or read-out position only one set of the indicia inscribed on the face adjacent the viewing opening will be exposed through said opening.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a multi-channel dice shaker that is suitable to be grasped by one hand wherein the entire dice shaker may be inverted and returned to the horizontal position, thereby completing a shake and giving rise to a designated combination of indicia adjacent the series of viewing openings formed within the dice channels.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top view of the dice shaker assembly of the present invention looking directly into the plane of the inclined dice channels;

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the dice shaker assembly;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the dice channel illustrating a die disposed in the smaller end thereof;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of the lower portion of a die channel, showing a set of indicia visible through an opening formed therein;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the lines 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a die channel with the side portion removed to illustrate the internal nature thereof; and

FIG. 7 is a view showing the multiple sets of indicia inscribed on each face of a die wherein the individual faces of the die are folded out in a plane for purposes of illustration.

Before beginning a detailed discussion of the multichannel dice shaker of the present invention, it should be noted that dice shakers are used to designate a combination of indicia to a player, the indicia being in the form of numbers, card characters or card suits or any combination thereof. By using a dice shaker, as opposed to a deck of cards or some other form of hand designating material such as the serial numbers on paper currency, the time consuming acts of dealing, gathering and shuffling are eliminated. In the case of a hand dice shaker, the shaker structure is simply inverted then returned to a normal horizontal position, thereby resulting in the individual die therein falling to a rest position where the results of the roll" can be observed.

By using a dice shaker having multi-dice channels, it is appreciated that a single shake or roll produces a series of values, one value per die. With a series of dice and with each die including multi-indicia on each face thereof, there are a great number of possible combinations that may be realized. Therefore, a dice shaker having the ability to give a series of values and having the potential to yield a great number of combinations may be utilized in the place of a deck of cards in many types of games without requiring the time consuming acts of dealing, gathering and shuffling. Instead of using the conventional deck of cards, each player in a game has custody of a like dice shaker, and at appropriate times simply rolls or shakes his hand.

Turning to the drawings of the present invention, it is observed that the dice shaker of the present invention is shown therein and indicated generally at 10. The dice shaker 10 basically comprises a shaker frame structure, indicated generally at 12, which is particularly designed to enable a player to grasp the same and invert the entire structure and then return the same structure to a normal horizontal position.

Viewing the shaker frame structure 12 in greater detail, it is seen that a generally flat bottom plate 14 is provided about the underside of the shaker frame structure 12. Fixed to the rear edge of the bottom plate 14 is a back plate 16 that extends generally upwardly therefrom at a right angle to the bottom plate 14. Disposed about each end of the shaker frame structure 12 is a generally triangular shaped end plate 18, each end plate 18 joining the outer edges of the bottom and back plates 14 and 16, respectively. Extending between the front lower portions of the generally triangular ends 18 is a relatively thin front edge 20.

Disposed across the shaker frame structure 12 in side-by-side relationship is a plurality of elongated generally enclosed dice channels or chambers indicated at 22. As seen in FIG. 2, the dice channels 22 are normally disposed at an angle of inclination relative to the bottom plates 14 of the shaker frame structure 12. More particularly, the upper portion of each die channel 22 is secured to an upper portion of the back plate 16 and each die channel extends therefrom generally forwardly and downwardly toward the front edge plate 20.

Overlying the plurality of dice channels 22 is a top plate 24, the top plate having a plurality of transversely spaced triangular shaped openings 24a formed along the lower front edge thereof. In addition, the top plate includes a plurality of relatively thin elongated slots 24b formed across the face thereof, each slot being parallel to an adjacent slot and disposed in lateral spaced apart relationship relative thereto.

Referring to the dice channels 22 in greater detail and with particular reference to FIGS. 3-6, it is seen that each die channel 22 is of a general rectangular shape and includes four sides, 26, 28, 30 and 32. All four sides taper inwardly from the upper end to the lower end of the die channel as oriented in the drawings and illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Consequently then it can be stated that the cross sectional area of each die channel 22 progressively decreases from the upper end to the lower end thereof, with the cross sectional area of the lower end being slightly greater than the cross sectional area of the particular die to be confined therein (details of the die to be described subsequently herein).

Each die channel 22 is provided about the lower end with an end plate 36. As seen in the drawings, the lower end plate 36 abuts with the upper edge of the front plate 20 while the lower edge of the lower plate 36 is spaced rearwardly from the front edge 20. The upper portion of each die channel is provided with an open end 34 which joins a transverse cavity 35 (FIG. 2) formed about the upper rear portion of the shaker structure 12. Cavity 35 may be provided with a series of partitions to assure that a particular die does not move from one channel to another.

Continuing to refer to each die channel 22, a relatively thin elongated slot 38 is provided in the upper side wall 26 thereof. The presence of slot 38 enables one to gain limited access into the die channel or chamber should a die become jammed or clogged therein.

Formed also in the upper side wall 26 about the lower end of the die channel 22 is a triangular shaped opening 40. Triangular shaped opening 40 formed within the lower end of die channel 22 is particularly disposed adjacent the lower end plate 36 such that a die positioned thereagainst can be seen through the opening. Because the individual die includes multi-sets of indicia on each face thereof, it is appreciated that the opening 40 must be of less area than the area of a particular die face and should approximately correspond to the area occupied by a single set of indicia.

As previously noted, the dice shaker 10 of the present invention includes a plurality of dice, each die indicated generally at 42 and being of a cubical shape and confined within a respective die channel 22. Moreover, each die preferably has slightly rounded corners which tends to make the die less susceptible to jamming and clogging within the dice channels.

Turning to FIG. 7, there is illustrated the die 42 with the individual faces 44 thereof folded out into a single plane for purposes of better illustration. Viewing each individual face 44, it is seen that a pair of cross lines are inscribed across each with the lines extending from opposed corners of the face. The effect of the two lines in each face 44 is that the face is effectively divided into four triangular shaped areas, each triangular area being denoted by the number 46.

Inscribed within the boundaries of each triangular area 46 is a set of indicia. Because each face includes multi-triangular areas, it then follows that each face 44 likewise includes multi-sets of indicia.

To roll or shake a hand, the dice shaker is picked up and inverted. This results in the individual die 42 tumbling into the upper end of each die channel 22 (the upper end being the end of the greater cross sectional area). The dice shaker 10 is then returned to the normal horizontal position by placing the bottom plate 14 on a generally flat support surface. Because the dice channels 22 are generally inclined downwardly and toward the front of the shaker frame structure 12, it follows that the dice contained therein tend to roll and move towards the front end 36 of each die channel. More particularly, each die 42 comes to a rest position with one face lying adjacent to and parallel with the front end plate 36 of each die channel. Consequently, in this rest position, a particular triangle area 46 will register with the triangular shaped opening 40 in the lower top surface of each die channel 22. The particular indicia inscribed within that triangular opening 40 is the result of the shake 'or roll. Because in the present application there are a plurality of like dice channels 22, it becomes apparent that each die channel and the individual die contained therein have registered a particular indicia. The combination of all of these registered indicia constitute a players hand after a particular shake or roll.

As previously pointed out, the dice shaker 10 of the present invention may be utilized in the place of cards or other types of hand designating material such as paper currency, and consequently avoid the time consuming task of dealing, gathering and shuffling the cards or other similar type material. Dice shaker It) could be constructed of plastic, wood or any other suitable material in numerous sizes with various dimensions without parting from the scope of the present invention. In addition, it is contemplated that a ,set of chips would be provided with each dice shaker.

One quite popular game that is particularly suitable to be played with the dice shaker 10 of the present invention is Liars Poker. Liars Poker is basically a bluffmg game in which the object is either to get every other player to call your bid and to be able to produce that bid by using every players hand including your own, or to get another player to be called by every player when in fact the player being called cannot produce his bid by using every players hand including his own. Consequently, it is appreciated that if a player is called he either wins from each player or he loses to each player. It obviously follows that this type of game allows players to both win and lose at a fast rate, making the game quite exciting and unpredictable.

To start play in Liars Poker, each player is given custody of a dice shaker of the type disclosed herein, and each player rolls a preliminary hand. The player with the best poker hand is the opener for the first actual hand.

Next, each player, as described above, uses the dice shaker 10 to roll a new hand which is held in confidence. The opener starts the bidding by announcing a certain poker hand. A players bid need not be a hand that the player himself can produce, or a hand that he reasonably believes he could produce from the hands of every player playing. The player making the bid may actually lie in order to mislead the other players as to the contents of his hand, and consequently the other players are always leary of the other players bids when attempting to speculate on what is the real content of each players hand. I

After a bid has been made by a respective player, the bid passes to the next player in a clockwise direction. Each player must do one of two things: (a) the player must bid a better poker hand than the last bid or (b) the player must call the last bid. Once a bid has been called by every player, the bidding is over for that particular hand and the players are now ready to show their hands. If the called player has bid a hand that he can make by using every players hand, including his own, then each player is obligated to the called player for one chip or a predetermined number of chips in the case of special rules agreed upon beforehand. If the called player cannot produce the bid hand by using every other players hand, then the called player is obligated to transfer or give a chip to each and every player, or a predetermined number of chips to each player as agreed beforehand.

Because there are 24 indicia areas on each die and 13 possible values (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, I0, I (Jack), 0 (Queen), K (King) and A (Ace), it follows that all the values, except two, may be placed on each die twice. In the present embodiment, the two values not appearing twice on each die are the 7 and J (Jack), each appearing only once. Consequently, 7s and J s are more difficult to produce. Therefore, it is contemplated in the case of a winning bid of 7s or J s or a combination of each (full house 7s and J s), that the winning bidder wins double from all of the other players. If such a bid is called and the bidder fails to produce the bid hand in accordance with the rules, then the bidder loses in the same manner already discussed. There is no double loss in such cases.

In the subsequent hand, the called player for the last hand is designated the opener for the new hand and the same playing procedure as outlined above is followed with each player rolling or shaking a hand by using the dice shaker 10 in his custody.

It should be emphasized that the hands rolled on the dice are normal poker hands with the exception that there are no suits. Therefore, there could be no flushes bid. Also, it should be pointed out that in some cases it would be entirely proper for a player to bid five of a kind, six of a kind, ten of a kind, etc., especially in cases where there are a large number of players.

From the above description of the dice shaker 10 of the present invention, it is apparent that the use of such a dice shaker has many advantages over the use of conventional cards or the like. Besides being simple, reliable and relatively inexpensive, the dice shaker 10 allows the players in a game to play the game quickly and continuously without having considerable lost time between games which is usually occupied by dealing, gathering and shuffling the cards, or other material such as paper currency, involved. Also, the dice shaker 10 of the present invention is particularly designed to roll true probability hands as the shaker does not particularly favor any side of the dice used therein. If left untampered with, the dice shaker 10 of the present invention assures each player that he is getting a fair roll each and every time the dice shaker is inverted and returned to the normal horizontal position.

The terms upper, lower, forward, rearward, etc., have been used herein merely for the convenience of the foregoing specification and in the appended claims to describe the dice shaker having a plurality of individual dice channels incorporated therein and its parts as oriented in the drawings. It is to be understood, however, that these terms are in no way limiting to the invention since the die shaker having a plurality of individual dice channels incorporated therein may obviously be disposed in many different positions when in actual use.

The present invention, of course, may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range are intended to be embraced herein.

What is claimed is:

l. A multi-channel dice shaker assembly comprising:

a generally L-shaped shaker frame structure including a flat bottom support plate having front and rear edges and a back plate projecting upwardly from the rear edge at a generaly right angle to said bottom plate; a plurality of generally rectnagularly shaped enclosed dice channels, each secured at one end to the upper portion of said back plate and extending downwardly and forwardly therefrom where the other end thereof is secured to the front portion of said bottom plate such that said dice channels are inclined at an acute angle relative to said bottom support plate whereby a unitary multichannel dice shaker assembly is formed, each die channel having opposed ends with the cross sectional area of the die channel progressively decreasing at a constant rate from said one end to said other end, and wherein each die channel includes a plurality of sides with each die channel continuously extending uninterrupted from said one end to said other end with the interior thereof being completely open and free of obstacles; a multi-faced die confined in each die channel and normally assuming a rest position in the lower end thereof, each die having a cross sectional area slightly less than the cross sectional area of the lower end of each die channel; multiple sets of indicia inscribed on each face of each die; and an opening of less area than the area of each die face formed in the upper side of each die channel in the vicinity of the lower end, said opening so placed with respect to the lower end of said channel so as to normally register with one set of indicia on a face of a respective die when that die assumes the rest position in the lower end of the respective die channel whereby the opening in the upper side of each die channel enables the viewer to conveniently ascertain the registered values because of the inclined position of said dice channels.

2. The multi-channel dice shaker assembly of claim 1 wherein the face of each die is divided into a plurality of triangles and wherein each set of indicia is inscribed within a respective triangle.

3. The multi-channel dice shaker of claim 2 wherein the opening formed in the vicinity of the lower end of each die channel is triangularly shaped and corresponds to the triangular divisions on the face of each die.

4. The multi-channel dice shaker assembly of claim 1 wherein each rectangular shaped dice channel includes a relatively thin elongated slot formed in one side thereof, thereby enabling one to gain limited access into each die channel. 

1. A multi-channel dice shaker assembly comprising: a generally L-shaped shaker frame structure including a flat bottom support plate having front and rear edges and a back plate projecting upwardly from the rear edge at a generaly right angle to said bottom plate; a plurality of generally rectnagularly shaped enclosed dice channels, each secured at one end to the upper portion of said back plate and extending downwardly and forwardly therefrom where thE other end thereof is secured to the front portion of said bottom plate such that said dice channels are inclined at an acute angle relative to said bottom support plate whereby a unitary multi-channel dice shaker assembly is formed, each die channel having opposed ends with the cross sectional area of the die channel progressively decreasing at a constant rate from said one end to said other end, and wherein each die channel includes a plurality of sides with each die channel continuously extending uninterrupted from said one end to said other end with the interior thereof being completely open and free of obstacles; a multi-faced die confined in each die channel and normally assuming a rest position in the lower end thereof, each die having a cross sectional area slightly less than the cross sectional area of the lower end of each die channel; multiple sets of indicia inscribed on each face of each die; and an opening of less area than the area of each die face formed in the upper side of each die channel in the vicinity of the lower end, said opening so placed with respect to the lower end of said channel so as to normally register with one set of indicia on a face of a respective die when that die assumes the rest position in the lower end of the respective die channel whereby the opening in the upper side of each die channel enables the viewer to conveniently ascertain the registered values because of the inclined position of said dice channels.
 2. The multi-channel dice shaker assembly of claim 1 wherein the face of each die is divided into a plurality of triangles and wherein each set of indicia is inscribed within a respective triangle.
 3. The multi-channel dice shaker of claim 2 wherein the opening formed in the vicinity of the lower end of each die channel is triangularly shaped and corresponds to the triangular divisions on the face of each die.
 4. The multi-channel dice shaker assembly of claim 1 wherein each rectangular shaped dice channel includes a relatively thin elongated slot formed in one side thereof, thereby enabling one to gain limited access into each die channel. 